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They call this policeman "the worlds most patient cop". Clearly he could have arrested this man for his abusive language but chose not to and activated a different strategy to deal with this man having a temper tantrum. If you were both a cop and an Aikidoa, would you respond in this way, or in a different way?

I have, many times. Only a very few violators go off in rants like these and most officers don't get too worked up over it. All of this man's ranting, as obnoxious as it was, didn't constitute an offense justifying an arrest. All in all, not a big thing in the realm of traffic enforcement.

They call this policeman "the worlds most patient cop". Clearly he could have arrested this man for his abusive language but chose not to and activated a different strategy to deal with this man having a temper tantrum. If you were both a cop and an Aikidoa, would you respond in this way, or in a different way?

Look up "woofing." Woofing training makes a big difference for me. It is too much for some folks, especially if the woofer has knowledge of the person they're woofing at. Start small and work up to a big woofer over time, unless you already know you really can let the words roll off.

They call this policeman "the worlds most patient cop". Clearly he could have arrested this man for his abusive language but chose not to and activated a different strategy to deal with this man having a temper tantrum. If you were both a cop and an Aikidoa, would you respond in this way, or in a different way?

Free speech ... we like it anyway. Abusive language is not a crime in such a context. Even if it means blowhards get to blow hard. Nice to see a professional in a position of authority not lose their poise and succumb to sophomoric pranks (dash cams are nice) or emotionally unstable high pitched screeching.

Littering is a serious problem and can carry very high fines. $1000 in my neck of the woods.

For all the kids out there let this be a lesson - just keep your mouth shut and it will all be over much more quickly. Also, drive safe.

For an evening of kicks take a listen to your local dispatch - many are online in real time.

"In my opinion, the time of spreading aikido to the world is finished; now we have to focus on quality." Yamada Yoshimitsu

There are any number of nations where it would be unwise and unlawful. It isn't very smart here either. Why go out of your way to offend an individual who has a certain amount of power in the exchange? Like goosing a grizzly in a phone booth - you can do it, but it isn't the best idea.

It shouldn't matter what anybody thinks or says about you. I have been called every name in the book and it takes a lot to get my fuse lit. If the individual physically touches me while insulting me , then I will react in a way not beneficial to the aggressor. The words are meaningless and a reaction is not warranted.

I am from Groningen--up north. And you do have freedom of speech, even to insult someone. You also have the responsibility to take the consequences of what you said. If you don't like paying fines, then be quiet.

While the topic at hand (remaining calm while being verbally assaulted) is a worthwhile discussion, the video linked to in the first post is also a good example of our needing to be careful what we believe in just because it's on video. As a former Highway Patrolman myself, the video in question and the (former) officer involved were the subject of one of our lectures at the academy. Obviously we can see what happens; the officer initiates a stop on a psychotic motorist and keeps his cool even in the face of the world's worst human being. Pretty cut and dried, right?

Wrong.

The officer in this case is most assuredly the bad guy, even though you can't see how in the video. He had been receiving so many complaints about verbally abusing citizens during his traffic stops that he decided to rig the game in his favor. His M.O. was to initiate a stop, shut off his dash cam, make initial contact with the driver and verbally abuse them for several minutes, screaming and threatening jail time, etc., really winding them up. Then he'd return to his patrol vehicle, start his dash cam and return to the stopped vehicle as if it were his initial contact, cool as a cucumber in the face of the now terrified and wound-up driver. It even worked for a little while, until the complaints continued to pile up and an investigation was initiated on him. It didn't take long for investigators to toss him out of the agency. His case is one of the chief reasons that most if not all in-car cameras are now equipped with constant overwrite memory; that is to say that once it is triggered on via activation of lights, siren, and/or body mic, not only does it record from that moment forward, but a separate drive also records the ten minutes previous to the activation trigger. It's a brilliant idea, and one that has helped to keep both officers and the public they serve safe from dishonesty on both sides.

Anyway, the point is that not everything is as it appears. Even on video.

The officer in this case is most assuredly the bad guy, even though you can't see how in the video. He had been receiving so many complaints about verbally abusing citizens during his traffic stops that he decided to rig the game in his favor. His M.O. was to initiate a stop, shut off his dash cam, make initial contact with the driver and verbally abuse them for several minutes, screaming and threatening jail time, etc., really winding them up. Then he'd return to his patrol vehicle, start his dash cam and return to the stopped vehicle as if it were his initial contact, cool as a cucumber in the face of the now terrified and wound-up driver. It even worked for a little while, until the complaints continued to pile up and an investigation was initiated on him. It didn't take long for investigators to toss him out of the agency. His case is one of the chief reasons that most if not all in-car cameras are now equipped with constant overwrite memory; that is to say that once it is triggered on via activation of lights, siren, and/or body mic, not only does it record from that moment forward, but a separate drive also records the ten minutes previous to the activation trigger. It's a brilliant idea, and one that has helped to keep both officers and the public they serve safe from dishonesty on both sides.

Anyway, the point is that not everything is as it appears. Even on video.

Wow Brett that is crazy thanks for sharing. As I was watching I was thinking that there must have been some reason that the driver was acting in such a way.....and it couldn't have simply been attributed to too much coffee as the description of the video suggests on YouTube.

Also, as I was watching I was thinking that I should limit my coffee intake before going to the dojo.

Chris Sawyer
Fountain Valley, CA
Tenshinkai Aikido FederationTraining day is every day